I'm not sure what is causing this, but its costing me money.  I've lost 3 tournaments now that could have possibly been won with what probably still has a hook in its mouth.  I'm breaking off a whole lot on my hookset. 

1st tourney:  fish were hitting sinko great.  only problem was I would break off 2 of every 3 or so.  This day I was using 10lb braid on a spinning reel.  braid was tied strait to hook on one rod and a floro leader on the other.  between the two I broke off 8.  8 breakoffs in a one day tourney!!!!  Didn't take much to win either.

2nd tourney:  I was using Pline Halo 15lb floro.  would set the hook and it would just break really easy.  I think I might have gotten a really bad birdnest and pulled it out to hard.  This tourney might have been a fluke.  Broke 6.

3rd tournament:  Thought I had it figured out.  Had 30lb braid to 15lb floro 4' leader.  I was using tungston weights(can this hurt my line???)  Only broke off two..  Not horrible but still 2 too many.

I'm using what I think is a polomer knot.  though eye, back thru, tie box knot, take loop and go around bait, then pull tight while keeping wet.

So is it the knot, braid, tungston weight(couldn't have been in first tourney), or what?

Any help is much appreciated.  Thanks

By the way, I've now switched everything to mono and hate it.  But I'm not getting as many breaks.

Have you checked your guides to see if there is a rough spot?

what power rod are you using ? If your using 8# on a H, its likely to break on a hookset.

Also, check all your guides, you may have a nick or two.

Other than that all I can think of is some human error.

check your line. is it worn? old? brittle?

check your guides. are they damaged?

check your drag. are you swinging for the fences with your drag locked down?

check your knots. are they tied properly?

where is the line breaking at?

Where are the breaks occurring? At the hook knot, near the hook (within a few inches), or at the join between braid and mono/flouro? I've had breaks at all three but especially the second two.

I find the first is caused by a bad knot. When you tighten your knots, get a good lot of saliva (yes, gross, but it reduces friction enormously) on there and then tighten up slowly.

The second can be caused by line rubbing over a rough bottom. Nothing to do about this except regularly check your line. When fishing bottom baits, I give the bait a strong pull by-hand every 15-mins or so. It'll typically break in my hand at least once or twice per day. I often then have to cut off the bottom 12"-24" of line before I can get a good knot again.

The third is caused by the wrong knot joining braid to mono/flouro. Braid is incredibly thin and can cut through flouro really easily. I recently had to change which knot I use because of this. I now use the albright knot and it's great. You could also try the uni-to-uni knot (google image search them). Again, use lots of saliva and tighten slowly.

Whenever I make any knot, anywhere in my line, I test it... hard! I'd rather re-tie 15 times in a row than lose a fish. Constantly test! Test, test, test!

Good luck!

Have you checked your guides to see if there is a rough spot?

x2

A few other things to think about are:

1) Old line?

2) Too much friction on your line...make sure its wet before sinching.

3) Not using the right knot...Try a San Diego Jam knot

If the knots and stuff other folks mentioned are okay, try to make sure you have *all* the slack out of the line before setting the hook.

A lot of people swing for the fence while setting the hook with T-rigged senkos and worms etc. All it needs (after reeling in the slack) is a steady strong pull; try a sweep-type hookset, rather than a snap-set. There's less chance of slack/line break.

Run our thumbnail along the line from the rod tip to the hook to find nicks, kinks and scratches.

Always pull tag line after wetting the line when tying a Palomar knot. Pull main line after you pull the tag line.

If the line is "burned" after tying any know, cut it out and do it again. So many times we do not realize that we have "burned" the line when we tighten it.

Go back to 100% fluorocarbon line and see if this reduces your break offs.

And do what all the guys mentioned in addition to my suggestions.

Good luck. 

Thanks guys.  I actually set the hook pretty hard with my thumb on the spool.  I would like to learn some new knots but don't know how.  I think my problem is not retying enough.  Should you really have to retie every 4-5 fish with 12lb floro?

its possible. if youre line looks frayed , i would retie. ive used the same leader on 6+ fish without retying. while ive also had to retie after one fish that ran my line across the rocky drop off.

if in doubt , retie. and keep your thumb off the spool when setting the hook.

http://animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

i use the palomar and albright. sometimes if im having trouble tying one of those , ill go with a uni knot.

It may be the knot.  A palomar is a very strong knot, but if it is not tightened down correctly has been known to cut into itself and cause failure. 

Get some Yozuri Ultrasoft, in whatever test you like..and kiss the breakage good by..The palomar knot works great on copoly lines. 

Boy would some of the guys on my other fishing forum have fun with this subject.

First off, most guys I know recommend retying after every fish, no matter the size.  If you snag, hang up, farm a bite ... check your line.  If you feel even the tiniest nick, retie.

Check that site/video about tying a proper Palomar knot. If the line has crossover it will cut into itself and break almost every time.

It sounds like you may be using too heavy of rod action for the line  # test you're using.  Also you shouldn't be setting the hook as hard when using braid.  Some rod manufacturers are starting to make rods with a softer tip, so that you don't rip the hook out of the fishes mouth when setting the hook.

I'll second the recommendation for Yozuri Hybrid Ultra Soft.  It's great line, almost no memory  abrasion resistant and super strong.

ill mention a problem ive had with braid!  may not be your problem. but i have gone through a spell of the eyelit on the hook not being completely closed.  and the braid itself being small enough to slip through the gap!  even if the gap is closed on the hook ive been fighting the fish and it somehow get the hook in the perfectly wrong spot and then it get off reel in no hook and knot still there.  it's made me start tying a snell knot.  so far it's worked for me!  like i said this may not be your problem but it will cause a head scratcher when it does happen!

If you got a birdsnest and pulled it hard that deff could be the problem for one of your situations.

Is your line breaking off at the knot where the leader connects to the main line?

What type of structure is on the bottom of this lake/lakes..? Could there be something cutting into the line..?

I find fluro breaks to easy, coploy is my choice. Also, if you get a birdnest, and the line "folds" that's a possible breaking point..